By Munachho Gwamanda-Six senior members of the Varakashi4ED social media unit have been fired for “indiscipline,” in a move widely seen as part of the ongoing power struggle between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
The dismissals were ordered by Zanu PF’s legal affairs boss, Patrick Chinamasa, under direct instructions from Mnangagwa.
Varakashi4ED is a state-sponsored online propaganda unit tasked with attacking opposition figures, shaping digital discourse in favour of Mnangagwa, and silencing dissent within Zanu PF.
Chinamasa, who serves as the executive director of the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit, announced the sackings in a letter dated February 11, 2025, addressed to the party’s national political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha.
He revealed that the decision followed a high-level meeting with Mnangagwa on February 3 to discuss growing disciplinary concerns within the unit.
“On February 3, 2025, I met with His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, to discuss disciplinary issues within the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit, which I lead as executive director,” Chinamasa wrote. “After reviewing serious infractions by rogue elements who attacked the unit’s leadership and senior party officials, the following recommendations were made…”
As a result, Jonasi Mandiwisa Musara, Tafadzwa Mawire, Tinotenda Gachange, Felix Muzondo, Pardon Mangwende, and Herbert Mathe were permanently removed from the unit.
Chinamasa further informed Machacha that Norman Mbimbi had been appointed as the new administrator of Varakashi4ED, while Dereck Goto would take over as director of operations.
The latest purge within Zanu PF’s online propaganda arm underscores intensifying factional tensions, particularly between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.
Since orchestrating the 2017 coup that removed Robert Mugabe, the two men have maintained an uneasy alliance, with Chiwenga widely regarded as a potential challenger to Mnangagwa’s grip on power.
Tensions between their factions have been steadily rising, as Chiwenga’s military-aligned supporters grow increasingly frustrated with Mnangagwa’s consolidation of control.
The Varakashi4ED dismissals suggest a renewed effort by Mnangagwa to tighten his hold over Zanu PF’s internal structures and suppress dissent within the party’s information machinery.
Previously, the Varakashi unit was used to attack opposition politicians, independent journalists, and even party members suspected of disloyalty.
However, recent reports suggest factional battles within the group, with some members allegedly aligning with Chiwenga’s camp to undermine Mnangagwa’s authority under the guise of promoting party interests.